9. (“WE GET WASTED TONIGHT”)

“Alberto, Hi.” Martina greeted sound cooler than she felt.

“Hey… I almost thought you forgot you promised to call once you got out of bed.” Alberto responded in a lively manner.

“I wouldn’t forget my promise no matter what, and you know that. I woke up not quite long though, had a little chat with Caterina.” Martina made it known.

“Oh really? What did Caterina do this time? Were you scolding here?” Alberto asked and Martina giggled.

“Why was scolding the first thing you could think of? Can’t I talk to her without scolding her?” Martina asked smiling widely.

“I’m just surprised you had a chat with her in the morning. On a normal day, you’d tell her to start preparing for school, rather than delay her with chats. Except she did something wrong that you couldn’t keep till she got back.” Alberto analyzed and Martina laughed pretty hard.

“You need to stop acting this way, people would think you are my soulmate. There is nothing you don’t know about me.” Martina told and Alberto chuckled.

“And you also know very well I don’t care what people think or say.”  He responded and Martina’s smile faded slowly.

“He called yesterday,” Martina stated leaving Alberto a little bit of confusion.

“Who called yesterday?” Alberto asked in concern after hearing the way she sounded. She kept mute for some seconds and Alberto thought the call got disconnected already.

“Martina… Are you there?” Alberto further asked.

“Carlo…” She muttered in a teary voice.

“F**k… Martina, are you alright? Where are you? I’m on my way right now.” Alberto said in great worry.

“No, you don’t have to Alberto. I’m fine.” She replied wiping the tears that rolled down her cheeks with her hand.

“Martina! I am off… See you in the afternoon, don’t go anywhere okay?! Rosa would be lonely at home if you step out!” Caterina yelled from the living room.

“I won’t go anywhere okay? Stay safe!” Martina responded in a loud tone too. She tried her possible best not to sound teary.

“What does he want this time?” Alberto asked continuing their conversation.

“I have no idea. Since… he ran away. He never called, he never texted, he never checked up on me, he disappeared in the tiny air…”

“I kept his contact on my phone for so long waiting for him to call me and tell me why he ran away after the great memories we had, at some point, I even forgot to delete it.”

“What does he want now Alberto, why does he want to talk to me now? He has opened the wound I have been nursing for years. He is here to mock me, he wants me to know he had always had my contact with him, didn’t change his number but still didn’t talk to me, even when I called and sent a lot of text messages.” Martina blustered in tears. Alberto was very patient with her, he waited for her to say everything and then responded.

“Martina… I’m on my way. Don’t go anywhere, wait at home for me. I’ll be with you shortly.” Alberto told and Martina nodded sobbing.

“Okay.” She replied. She hung up the call and lay on the bed again. She shut her eyes and the memories came rushing again. 

“F**k you Carlo… Vaffanculo!” She yelled in bitterness.

After minutes of sobbing, she grew so weak and just laid in bed doing nothing, she had a straight face with no emotions.

She heard the doorbell ring and she sprang to her feet immediately. She ran to the living room to get the door, she opened it and saw Alberto at her doorstep.

“Alberto.” She called hugging him tightly. He hugged her too and kissed her hair before he let go.

“Let’s go inside.” He said holding her hand as they both walked into the house. He shut the door behind them, and Martina slammed into the couch.

“Should I make you some coffee?” Alberto asked smiling.

“Did you come here to babysit me?” Martina responded with a very faint smile on her face.

“I’d do anything right now to make you feel better.” He assured and she smiled. She stretched her hand to him and he took it and sat close to her. She placed her head on his shoulders and began to speak.

“I deserve some explanation for what he did to me. It was so inhumane of him.” Martina muttered and Alberto nodded caressing her hair carefully.

“I understand you, Martina. Do you want to talk to him too?” Alberto asked and Martina exhaled. She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him.

“Yes, I want to talk to him to know why he hurt me so much. I want to know how I offended him.” She told and Alberto nodded.

“But if you know all these, those that change anything? Will you go back to him?” Alberto asked and she shook her head.

“No, of course not. But when I know these things, then I’d have all the answers to my pending thoughts and questions. Maybe then I’d confirm that I’m not the problem here.” She mumbled.

“You are not the problem Martina, don’t you ever say that,” Alberto said and she scoffed shaking her head.

“You don’t understand, you…”

Her phone began to ring all of a sudden, cutting her short. She picked up her phone and checked the caller to see it was Carlo again.

“Do you want to answer it?” Alberto asked staring at her. She looked at him and then at the phone.

All of a sudden, she answered the phone and put it on speaker.

“Martina… is that you?” He asked from the other end of the line and Martina gulped hard.

“What do you want Carlo?” She asked in a bolder tone.

“Oh my… I have missed you so much Pretty doll.” He responded and Martina shut her eyes and clenched her jaw.

“Don’t you ever call me that… ever again!” She responded with her eyes still shut. She was trying so hard not to sound teary.

“I’m sorry Martina, I am sorry for what happened. I was so childish and I was scared and…” He stated but she butted in.

“Do you have anything else to say apart from these? Why are you calling me after three years Carlo?” Martina asked holding her head in her hand.

“I want you back.” He let out. Alberto reached for her phone immediately and hung up. He switched off the phone in anger and placed it on the table.

“That is never going to happen.” He said looking at Martina who was beginning to be weak again. He pulled her closer and embraced her, letting her shed her tears on him.

“You are not going to put on that phone until tomorrow. Tomorrow, we are going to get rid of that SIM card and get a new one.” Alberto uttered and Martina bobbed.

“But I have vital information on that card,” Marina complained.

“Then we block his line, delete his number. Martina, you must not call him or let him talk to you. He is an asshole. Don’t answer a strange phone number.” Alberto implored and Martina nodded cleaning her eyes.

After some minutes of silence between the both of them, she stopped sobbing and looked at Alberto.

“I need that Coffee now.” She disclosed and Alberto smiled.

“Roger that.” He said standing up and walking to the kitchen. Martina also stood up and followed behind him.

“No work at the office?” She asked resting on the fridge in the kitchen.

“You know that isn’t possible. But I had to find time, I’d sort everything out as soon as I get back to the office. They can wait, for now, my best friend needs my help.” He uttered and Martina laughed slightly.

“Your sweet words always win,” Martina responded.

“Here.” He said passing a cup of coffee to her. She collected it and took a sip of it while it was still hot.

“You would never cease to amaze me. You still consume hot food and drinks like you used to.” Alberto added and Martina lifted her eyebrows.

“You should get back to the office soon, I regret bringing you down here when you have tons of work to do,” Martina muttered.

“C’mon, I brought myself here. I’d leave as soon as I finish my coffee.” He made it known and she consented.

“Caterina and I would be going to a party tonight. I’d love to blow off some steamy, and partying would help a lot.” Martina told and Alberto nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to be your escort?” He teased and she shook her head smiling.

“It’s a ladies' night party, you are not invited,” Martina replied and Alberto placed his hand on his chest with a sad look.

“That hurt my feelings.” He murmured and she giggled.

“You should stay at home and take care of your wife and children.” Martina proposed and he agreed.

“True.” He said taking his last gulp from the cup of coffee. He headed back to the kitchen and washed the cup. He arranged it with the other cups and then walked out of the kitchen.

“I should go now.” He cited.

“I’ll call you after we get back from the party,” Martina added as they both walked to the door.

“Please don’t get too drunk. You are always something else when you are drunk.” Alberto said humorously.

“I’ll try. See you later.” Martina said as Alberto stepped outside.

“Be fine for me.” He said opening his arms and she hugged him passionately.

“I’ll be fine. Bye.” She greeted and he waved at her with a large grin on his face. She watched him walk to his car until he drove out of the compound.

She let out a sigh and walked into the house, locking the door behind her.

***

       AT NIGHT

“So… I picked these two for you. Which one do you love?” Caterina asked holding up two gowns in her hand and showing Martina who was in her white robe, she was done with her makeup.

“Ermmm, the red. It’s flashy and shinning, I’d take that.” She said picking the red gown. It was a short gown with a lot of sequence material on it.

“Perfect! I love this too.” Caterina said giving Martina the gown. Caterina wore a short black leather gown and a puffer jacket which was also black.

Martina wore the gown and her heel shoe and stood in front of the mirror, Caterina stood beside her too.

“Gosh, we look so hot,” Caterina uttered biting her lower lip.

“We get wasted tonight!” Martina said in a bold and firm tone making Caterina shout in support.

“Yes! We getting wasted tonight!” She responded happily. They both picked up their bags and walked poshly out of the room, heading straight to the car.

They got to the car, and Martina ignited the engine. She put on her audio player and increased the volume.

“Yes, baby!” Caterina yelled after she heard her favorite Italian Hip- hop song, Habibi by Ghali play.

“I knew this would drive you crazy!” Martina said in a loud voice as they danced to the song.

“You know the best Martina!” Caterina yelled in excitement.

“Uh, happy day! Uh, happy days!”

“Uh happy day! Uh happy days!“ They both sang at top of their voice and began to laugh.

“That is my favorite part of the song!” Caterina made known excitedly.

“I know… you have said this for the hundredth time now since you were born,” Martina uttered and they both laughed again.

They got to the location where the party was taking place, and they could hear the music that played in the club from outside.

“Some crazy shits are going on in there,” Caterina stated and Martina nodded switching off the engine.

“Let’s go join them before we miss the crazy part. The crazy part is the one I long for.” She told and they both alighted.

They adjusted their clothes, and they both walked luxuriously to the club swaying their hips and moving their heads so their well-made hair could pull attention.